How to buff without your arms falling off

[Ashley55]

Hi all!

So maybe I just need to hit the gym more, or maybe I'm just not doing it right. But after dying a piece it seems like I could buff all day and still get some dye transfer? I use Fiebings pro dye, and let it dry a few days (I do things here and there whenever i get time). I rub with a soft cloth until my arm is on fire, and there is still dye coming off on the cloth. Am I buffing too hard and actually removing the dye and not just leftover pigment? Or maybe not hard enough and there is just a lot of pigment left over? I understand darker colours are trickier, and I am using black, dark brown and saddle tan. I have not tried reducing the dye, but from the sounds of it that might be a good idea. The amount of buffing I'm doing just seems excessive...

[battlemunky]

Buffing is a workout for me too. Backgrounding as well. I'll do both until my arm/hand is a cramped mess.

[Alaisiagae]

Usually after dyeing, you'd buff a little and then put on a sealant (aka finish), such as Fiebing's Resolene or something similar. Doing so will lock in the dye (chemical reaction) to stop further rub-off. If you don't want a glossy finish, there are non-gloss options (Tandy's Eco-Flo Satin Shene is one of them).

I guess you could try a buffing wheel if you wanted some mechanical assistance. They work for cars, not sure how well they'd work for leather.

[Ashley55]

Well glad I'm not the only one lol

I do use resolene after, but I find that its picking up dye, and even after drying I can rub with a cloth and colour will come off. From what I've read on here the problem is there is still pigment and its getting suspended in the resolene. I will definitely look into buffing mechanically somehow, because I plan to do more dyed pieces but at this rate it will take me forever!

[Frodo]

I use a neutral color wax,  then buff

 

[Dwight]

6 hours ago, Ashley55 said:

Hi all!

So maybe I just need to hit the gym more, or maybe I'm just not doing it right. But after dying a piece it seems like I could buff all day and still get some dye transfer? I use Fiebings pro dye, and let it dry a few days (I do things here and there whenever i get time). I rub with a soft cloth until my arm is on fire, and there is still dye coming off on the cloth. Am I buffing too hard and actually removing the dye and not just leftover pigment? Or maybe not hard enough and there is just a lot of pigment left over? I understand darker colours are trickier, and I am using black, dark brown and saddle tan. I have not tried reducing the dye, but from the sounds of it that might be a good idea. The amount of buffing I'm doing just seems excessive...

Ashley55, . . . quick . . . don't wait . . . don't slow down . . . go buy yourself some reducer.

Mix that dye 50/50 with the reducer . . . and your buffing problems will take a serious nose dive.

Yes, hard buffing even after reducing . . . will get "some" rub off . . . but not very much at all.   When you see a good shine on your project . . . quit buffing and get to the Resolene . . . and . . . yes . . . reduce it the same way . . .  50/50 . . . but use water.  

You should really like the results better with two small caveats:

Depending on how dark you want that saddle tan . . . you may have to dye it a second time.  I only dip dye . . . no brushing or patches . . . and I get a nice saddle tan color.

If you are using USMC black . . . find a hole to bury that stuff in . . . you can buff seriously with that . . . and it'll still kick out pigment.  

May God bless,

Dwight

[Handstitched]

G'Day, theres a mulitude of ways of burnishing, as this thread points out:

https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/67637-cant-get-the-edges-to-burnish-like-glass/

And this is a good thread too:

https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/93052-help-with-edges/?tab=comments#comment-635302

Hope this helps   

I too get ' burnish arm'   so I am hoping to ' motorise' my burnishing as I have a few old twin shaft  electric  fan motors ( from old drum drive computers)  in my shed with the intention of using one of them for a burnisher......if only I could find them...they're in a box...in a box  

HS

[Frodo]

 

I do not have a problem with USMC black,  I think it might be because I do not follow the 'normal' directions

I apply the stain, wait about 5 minutes   then apply the resolene, I apply the resolene liberally and set it aside to dry

here is a holster i am currently working on 

 

[Rahere]

USMC would probably use their butts anyway.

[JLSleather]

Dye shouldn't continue to buff off, and certainly shouldn't be getting picked up in the resolene finish.  I would have recommended you let it fully dry, but since you say you gave it DAYS, I can't tell you what the issue is.  I don't have that issue with the SAME pro dyes, so I'd have to see what you have going on to know the issue.  Just posting here to say that it IS possible to use these dyes and NOT have that transfer.

[Ashley55]

Thank you all for the excellent advice! I will absolutely try reducing the dye, I think perhaps I was putting it on too thick. I just finished a black piece, just the regular black not the USMC, and buffed and buffed and buffed until finally no dye was coming off. I didnt have any problem with rub off after resolene after that. 

[Ashley55]

Me again! Have been doing all kinds of reading and YouTube watching lately and it seems like people either have the same problem or no problem at all (with lots of dye coming off when buffing). Which leads me to this question:

Does the quality of the leather affect how the dye is absorbed and how much pigment gets left on the surface? 

I will admit, I am using Tandy leather, the cheapest Tandy leather... And with all my reading I've also learned that this is not the best kind of leather to use for most things. So could this also be contributing to my issue?

[battlemunky]

I have used all sorts and honestly haven't paid too much attention to it. Some rubs off a lot and some doesn't but I find it all rubs off to some extent. I'll have to pay more attention and see.

[fredk]

6 hours ago, Ashley55 said:

Me again! Have been doing all kinds of reading and YouTube watching lately and it seems like people either have the same problem or no problem at all (with lots of dye coming off when buffing). Which leads me to this question:

Does the quality of the leather affect how the dye is absorbed and how much pigment gets left on the surface? 

No, its the dye. I recently, only 10 days ago, used an oil dye I'd bought from a maker in England. I used it on my game board. It took several coats to get the dyed areas looking even. Then after an hour or so I started to buff it and guess what ? Nothing, absolutely no dye came off on my cloth, and I'm so used to getting a dirty cloth using Fiebings dyes.

When I brushed on a sealer over the dyed areas nothing changed, no dye came off.

As for it 'might have been the leather?' no, I've used other dyes on those two leathers before and got dye off thru buffing.

[Ashley55]

Well there goes that thought LOL

Today I was buffing some pieces I dyed yesterday. One had a single coat of saddle tan, and the other was black. I coloured up a whole rag with the saddle tan. The black, next to nothing coming off! I prepped them the same way, the only thing that was different was I cut the black piece from the other side of the hide. I'm going to try dying a piece from that side again tomorrow with the saddle tan and see what happens...